Way of the Pataki
by HunGuy
Summary: When Bob accidentally reads into Helga's diary, he has to face the true nature of his offspring. So, he decides to help Helga, with her serious boy-problem to undo the past. But it's harder to handle Helga, than the Beeper Emporium.
1. My only sunshine

Author's note: Hey! First: I so don't own Hey, Arnold! Second: I'm Hungarian, so I may have some minor mistakes in my English. I hope it won't ruin any body's fun. Please review.

Way of the Pataki

My only sunshine

Bob and the sweet little Olga didn't go in the hospital room with Miriam, to be witnesses of the miracle of birth. Bob did it for the first time, and had nightmares for months. "If a woman really likes her husband, she would never want him to see when another person is crawling out of her." Bob said several times.

He just couldn't wait, to see his new child. In the past ten years, his life became something like a fairy tale. Since he ran away from home in the age of fifteen, and came into this country he had some helluva times in his life. He was running in all his life, from his past, from his family and his miserable home land. But for real, he was running from himself. He born to this world too cruel, with no noticeable regard for others feelings or desires. He was a person, who did everything to take what he wanted. It gave him the strength to escape from the desperate middle life of his homeland, coming to Hillwood, learning the language so perfectly (even adding a cool accent to it) and making a small fortune in such a short notice.

But it was only the surface. One side of the coin. The other Bob, that almost nobody knew cried in his sleep very often, or woke up to his own screaming in the middle of the night. This Bob was able to cry on a TV commercial. And totally broke down, when he heard a word about the family he left behind. And most importantly, Bob hated himself beyond imagination. He hated his own selfishness, and overwhelming personality. Life toughed him: eat or be eaten. He knew this is the rule he has to live by. But he didn't like it for a moment.

Miriam was his only salvation. His perfect opposite, shy, silent, beautiful, vulnerable - and still she was a world class swimmer and rodeo champion. How can a guy not fall in love with her? There were tons of men interested in her. When they first met, Bob felt she hadn't even noticed him.

And still, she was able to see behind his hard shell, and see his true self. She married him, and quit her own career so she could give birth to their beautiful doughtier Olga.

Their doughtier was beyond all expectations: she was like Miriam in everything. Bob was afraid, he will see his own reflection in the child. But when he looked at Olga, he saw the face of his loved Miriam. He had the perfect family, he always dreamed of. He was surrounded by these wonderful girls, who were so open-minded, and happy, they were able to make him forget to hate himself for a while.

"You can come in." - a nurse said as she opened the door. - "You have a healthy little girl Mr. Pataki."

"Really?" - he said in surprise - "I haven't heard any crying." - he said. When Olga born, she cried very loud and long. She seemed to want to tell the world, she's arrived to this wonderful place at last.

"There was only a little crying." - the nurse said - "She's a toughy."

"I have a little sister?!" - Olga screamed out in joy, as she ran into the hospital room. Bob followed him. There was Miriam, with a tired, butt happy smile on her face. She had the little girl in her hands.

"Hey, Helga, look, who's here. You're father and sister." - Miriam said. Bob fought with his tears, as she looked at her second daughter. Little Helga, looked back at him with her intelligent, observing eyes. Of course it was ridiculous to call the eyes of an infant intelligent, but Bob felt this way.

"She got you're nose." - Miriam said. She was right, Bob noticed. Not only that, she had one eyebrow, just like Bob.

"Do you want to take her?" - Miriam asked.

"Sure." - he answered, and he took the little girl to his arms. - "Hello Sunshine." - he said, with such a gentle look on his face. It was the Bob Miriam fell in love with.

"Hello little sister." - Olga said.

"You are the most wonderful little girl I've seen Helga." - Bob said. And he felt that way. But her nose and the unibrow made him feel a little bad for some reason.

FOURTEEN YEARS LATER

"It's Helga dad!" - the girl screamed out.

"Then Helga! What the hell did you think! Getting into a fight like that!" - Bob said. He was furious.

"Hey, Rhonda had it coming!" - Helga said, as she turned around, showing her back to her father.

"Come back right here missy! I'm not done with you!"

"Don't care." - she murmured, as she walked upstairs.

"Hey, You're grounded missy!" - he shouted after her.

"Whatever Bob." - Helga said, as she shout the door of her room.

What a little pain in the ass. - Bob thought. Always going after her own head, constantly fighting with everybody.

He was scared by her daughter. They were so similar. And Bob knew, things will happen the same way, and he just didn't know what to do about him. It was the main reason he was angry at Helga, and tried to ignore her most of the times. He didn't wanted to love her, but it was too late for that. Helga will leave them soon forever - just like he left his family. She has the same fire inside. And she will broke his and Miriam's heart to pieces.

Next: Prodigy

So what do you think? C'mon, review! I know you want to!


	2. Sins of the father

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you'll like this one too.

Chapter 2: Sins of the father

"Honey I'm home!" - Bob shouted as he entered the house. He never came home like this in years, but today she had such a horrible day, she really wanted the old times to come back.

_"Please don't let her sleeping drunk at the kitchen table. Not today... Not anymore..._" - he begged. But of course it was exactly that kind of day. Miriam was sleeping there, with a bottle of whiskey in her hand. There were weeks, when she managed to stay dry. But she always fell back. Always.

It wasn't so bad, really. She didn't drunk gallons of alcohol, she didn't became violent or harsh, only... sleepy.

"Hi daddy!" - Olga said, as she entered the room. She was happy and full of life - as she walked to the refrigerator, it seemed like her toes are not even touching the floor. She filled her glass with milk at the table, only a few inches from Miriam's head.

_"Don't act like everything is fine! She's your mother for god's shake!"_ - Bob thought. Of course he would never say that out loud. It was the Bob he tried to leave behind at work.

"Hi Honey." - she said. Here at home he, Miriam and Olga had a huge experience with avoiding problems. They never talked about Miriam's alcohol problem. They swept it under the rug, just like everything else. The only one, who wasn't able to do that all the time was Helga. She just entered the kitchen too.

"Hey Bob, Olga." - she said. - "Geez, Miriam is passed out again. It's like we're living in a bar. But of course, in that case she would be thrown out to the alley trough the back door every night."

"Hey, Sis!" - Olga said, an she hugged Helga.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? Stop touching me you moron!" - Helga said. Olga stopped hugging her and walked away humming some cheery tone. As he looked at Helga, he was able to see, how worried she is of her mother. It was something he never saw at Olga's eyes. His older daughter was great, in recognizing and responding joy. But real, deep pain was something she never understood. Not like Helga.

"So, Olga, how was you're day?" - he asked.

"It's Helga dad! Crimney, if you want to have a "father of the year" conversation, learn my name first!" - she said. - "But if you want to know, I had a normal teenage girl day: boys, parties, drugs, unwanted pregnancy. Same old, same old. as she left the kitchen and walked toward the front door. Yeah, he called her Olga again. For ten years he only had one daughter, Olga, and really couldn't do anything about calling her second daughter that sometimes.

"Hey, missy, you're still grounded, don't you forget that!" - Bob shouted.

"Fascist." - Helga murmured, as she turned around to go to her room.

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"C'mon, C! Ask for a goddamn C!" - Bob said to Frank, the player from Fargo, Minnesota. Frank didn't hear a word he said, basically because he was sitting in the "Wheel of fortune" studio, miles away from Hillwood. That did not stop Bob from giving advice to the players. He knew this game is destroying his mind day by day - and still, he longed for it. He started to watch the show a few years ago.

Since then he and Miriam didn't get any social life. After the wonderful first ten years of their marriage the life of the Patakis became more and more average, and it made Bob depressed sometimes. Helga - who wasn't there to witness the first years - only saw the emotional dead end, that their life was now.

"Miles would be ashamed to see me wasting my life like this." - he thought. Miles, was the one, who helped him when he arrived to the country without a cent. They went to collage together, and both men fought for the hands of Miriam. He did not take Bob to all of his journey's but they visited a lot of interesting places together. And when Miles got married to Stella, the two couples done everything together. They were inseparable.

Bob remembered their last fight well. Miles and Stella had their own kid since almost a year then, but they still decided to go on some semi-dangerous mission to Central America.

He preached about the different kind of responsibility what a child means for pretty long. About how Helga and little what's his name will be in the age to play with each other soon. Maybe he could have convinced them, but Miles' looney father Phil was so supportive. "Of course, we will take care of Alfred... go, fight the good fight!" He had some conflicts with Phil because of that later.

Miles and Stella never came back. It was like a part of Bob and Miriam gone forever with them. He escaped to his work and to stupid TV shows, while Miriam... well, she had her own little way of escapism. But more importantly they never talked about the death of their friends. They had no proof. A part of him still believed, one day they will come back for their football headed kid, and show up in the door as one happy family.

But of course he was a serious businessman. An adult. He must deal with death, it can't cripple him. He's too strong for that.

_"Fascist." - _Helga called her that only a few hours ago. He knew he's on the best possible way to loose her daughter. He wasn't the greatest father for her, even if he tried sometimes. But it was so much harder to handle her, than Olga. He stood up, and walked upstairs, to check on his little girl. She was grounded for some time now, for a fight she had with her friend Rhonda. It was the weirdest, most twisted friendship Bob ever seen. At least she had some friends. He knocked on the door.

"Ol... Helga. Can I go in?" - he asked. There was no answer.

"Hey, Missy, C'mon. Stop being such a pain in the... Open it! - he said. Hey, it was his house after all. Who does she think herself? He opened the door. There was no one inside.

It didn't matter if she climb down the fire escape, or sneaked out downstairs, she was gone. Bob felt, she's becoming angrier and angrier.

_"Why does she have to be such a miserable little brat?! Why can't she do something nice for a change?"_ In times like these, Bob thought Helga is simply mean, and doing these things just to annoy him. There was a pink book laying on the bed opened. He though this is one of her romantic novels she was reading in secret. Bob sometimes peaked into them, and found them pretty out-of-character with Helga. But as she peaked into this one, he was pretty shocked. He didn't wanted to read, but just couldn't help it. IT was the most horrible thing he ever read, partly because he knew he's guilty for reading into her daughter's diary, partly because he not only peaked into a book. He read Helga's inside thoughts he was hiding from everybody. He was able to see the world trough the eyes of his daughter - and it was a pretty desperate view. And he was the biggest monster of the strange world, Helga was living in.

When he read the third page, he forced himself to put it down. He knew what he had to know - why fate put this diary to his way. Helga needed serious help - and he was the only one who could help him

As he read the book, it was almost like he wrote it himself when he was younger. If there was someone who could understand what the girl went trough, it was him. He was almost as good in shading his real self, as Helga. But it was too late for him - there was a chance for him, to become a better person years ago. But things happened, and he went back to his old pretending. Now, he became what he is today, a desperate, cynical, selfish man. But in some strange way, reading these pages of this diary, and seeing Helga's well hidden, sensitive, poetic side, gave him something really important.

A goal. A mission. But most importantly, first time in years her daughter gave him hope.

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Maybe I'm becoming too sentimental here. But I had to introduce "The real Bob" before I got into the real deal.

(About Bob and Miles being friends: for a while I was thinking about making Miles the father of both, Helga and Arnold. That could have been funny :) I decided it's gross, but I still liked the idea of Miles and Stella hanging out with Bob and Miriam in the past.)

Please review. I know you want to!


	3. Choose your fights

Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you liked this fick so far!

Choose your fights

The school bell just rang, so all the kids left their classrooms in happy cheering. Helga and Phoebe walked out from art class talking about something that is very important for teenage girls. That - of course - included how cute Arnold and Gerald is today. They were just heading to have a little "fresh air" (that meant Helga smokes a cigarette behind the building, while Phoebe is cuffing like crazy), when Rhonda stepped in their way.

"Hey, Pataki! A word with you!" - Rhonda said. Helga walked up to her, and with a serious face, and leaned close to her face.

"Out of my way bitch." - she said.

"Or?" - Rhonda asked.

"Or I'll tear you're face off." - Helga answered.

"Oooo, I'm shaking. - she said - Launch together later?" - she asked smiling.

"Oh, yeah." - Helga answered. - "Wanna have a little "fresh air"?"

"I would love to see you getting a little closer to the grave, but I can't." - she said - "I have a date at the chemistry container."

"In a fifteen minute break? You are a real whore." - Helga said.

"Hey! There is a special bondage between us... eh, even I don't believe that crap. I guess you're right I'm a whore." - she said.

"Who is it this time?" - Phoebe asked, as she tried to enter the conversation. Since Helga and Rhonda became "friends" she felt pretty left out. This friendship was new and fresh, while she felt her connection to Helga became old and tired. Helga said that's bull crap, Phoebe will be her number one friend forever. But that didn't sound too convincing.

"Oh, Helga... It's gonna be hard... Well, okay, here it goes... It's Arnold!" - she said, just to see Helga's face melting. Then she bust out in laugh - "I'll never get tired of that face!"

"That's because you're a pure evil, spoiled, sadistic bitch. And you're not even hiding it." - Helga said.

"Hiding it? I have wrote it on one of my T-shirts."

"Like you ever wore a real T-shirt in your life Princess." - Helga said. Rhonda went trough a lot of changes in the passed few months. She was in her uber-bitch form ripping, on everybody's clothes as usual, when the youngest Pataki punched him on the face. It was one of "those" days. But strangely, this incident didn't make Rhonda her enemy. She needed that punch very much, so she can return to the real world - and with that, she learned Rhonda's respect.

Even if their relationship stayed in the "throwing insults on each other" stage, they did it a lot more often and enjoyed it a lot more. Soon the recognized, they like to hang out together, and did almost everything together - what really pissed off Rhonda's ex-sidekicks from her "queen bitch of the universe" era, and - although she never shown it - hurt Phoebe very much too. Rhonda basically were fed up with her own popularity and fake "friends", and really appreciated Helga's spontaneity.

"Hey, I heard they saw you're dad on his way in. Where is he? I wouldn't mind accidentally run into him. He's kinda yummy." - Rhonda said with a vicious smile.

"That must've been someone else. He won't come close to the school for a billion dollar. Last time when the principal called him in he sent a check instead." - she said, while he tried to understand Rhonda's words - "And what do you mean he's yummy? You sick nimfo!"

"That's gross Rhonda." - Phoebe said.

"It must be him." - Rhonda said. - "He wore a white belt - which is a crime nobody's capable of except your father."- Rhonda said.

"Hey, that's not fair. There must be at least one other man in the city with the fashion sense of a Captain Kirk." - Helga answered.

"And he wore a jacket, with the sign "Big Bob's Cell phone Emporium" on it. - Rhonda finished. Helga, turned around right in that moment and started running toward the teacher's room." - but she was too late. She saw how Bob entered with Ms. Summers to the office.

"What the hell this asshole is doing here?" - Helga asked herself, as he grabbed Eugene, who tried to walk by her undetected. - "Eugene, I need you're locker. Now."

"Geez. Helga, I'm kinda hurry..."

"Open you're door you little gay-ass!" - Helga said angrily.

"Okay." - Eugene said and opened his locker. He was experienced enough, to don't keep too many stuff there. Helga entered the small space as much as she could. She discovered last year, (when she examined the school blueprints) the wall behind Eugene's locker was pretty thin, because an air duct went behind it. The same air duct, that had blow holes in Ms. Summer's and the principals office. So Helga hit her own listening hole to wall there, so she could get first hand information, what is the next move of the teacher's board in their little crusade against her.

She thanked Eugene with giving him a lead role in last year's school play, that she wrote and directed as an after-school activity. But they canceled it, because Ms. Summers and some other wusses found it too violent. Helga found it pretty unfair, because "Bath in blood" was a deep spiritual drama about love, loss, friendship, and a crazy little girl who cuts all of her teacher's into pieces with a chainsaw. Eugene supposed to play the crazy little girl. It suited him pretty well.

But the role was gone, and the locker was still there. So, Eugene had to let her in any time she wanted.

"...a long time. Didn't know the beeper emporium is down." - it was the giggling voice of the goody two-shoes Ms. Summers.

"Well, you have to change with the times Miss Summers. Cellulars are the thing now." - it was Bob's deep, animistic voice.

"I heard on TV yesterday the waves of the cell phones can sterilize a man in the long term." - the woman said. Bob laughed out loud.

_"Cut that chatting out! What is he doing here?" - _Helga thought.

"Well, maybe this is the solution to overpopulation. Let's get a cell to everyone Chinese man!" - Bob said.

"Mr. Pataki, that's highly inappropriate." - Ms. Summers said. Helga wondered, how could the fact, that Ms. Summers is Asian avoid Bob's attention. It was a funny thing about Bob. Even if he made these jokes, he really didn't care about the color of the skin. And it resulted in trying to be funny to the wrong audience most times.

"Oh, I didn't meant that way, I was just... trying to break the ice..."

_"Job well done Bob. Crimney, I can't believe we have the same genes." - _Helga said, as she covered her eyes with her left hand. Not like there was anything to see, she just got used to doing that every time Bob did something embarrassing.

"No problem Mr. Pataki." - the woman said. Helga knew damn well, from her voice, she was smiling understanding, like when one of her students said something stupid. - "So, why did you decide to visit our institute all of sudden? We invited you here several times before?"

"I've just... realized how little I know about Helga." - Bob said simply. - "I mean... there's more to the girl, than what's meets the eye, and I'm... well, I'm not really good in recognizing what's not obvious." - Bob said.

_"Bob actually said he's not good in everything? It's some evil alternate universe Bob, or what?" - _Helga thought.

"Well, Mr. Pataki, as far as we know each other, I'm not sure you're good with recognizing the obvious either." - sher referred to Bob's previous mistake, but she said it with a friendly laugh behind her words. Bob laughed a little too.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. So, what can you tell me about my daughter?" - he asked. There was a moment of silence, before Miss Summers answered.

"She's a... very... _interesting_ case." - she said - "Actually I think I will be bored to death after she graduates from here."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... she's extremely creative and pretty intelligent... and like most of those children, she considers me, the school and lot of her classmates as enemies. But unlike others, she's not separating herself from them, not hiding in the shadow. On the contrary. She's constantly fighting with everybody. And what makes it really interesting, she wins most of her fights.

A few months ago she wanted to become a member of the wrestling team. We couldn't allow her, because she's... well a girl. But she challenged coach Plummer, she will beat every single wrestler he has."

"And?"

"She did. Just like she beat coach Plummer."

"Then, why isn't she in the wrestling team?"

"Because there is no wrestling team. Apparently, the parents don't want their boys trained by a man who was defeated by a fifteen year old girl. Actually, the coach is in rehab now. He just never moved on..."

"So, you're saying, the girl is basically a bully huh?" - Bob asked.

_"Bravo Bob."-_ Helga thought

"Yes. These are only growing pains Mr. Pataki. But it's really hard to deal with her. I think with a little more attention at home..." - Helga was a little disappointed. He knew Bob was a simple minded man, but she was sure deep down Mr. Summers is having a better opinion of her. Like a "Huge talent, we can't lost!" or something like that.

"You're wrong Ms. Summers." - Bob said in an angry tone.

"Excuse me..."

"I mean it. It's mainly my fault, she behaves this way, but Helga has a lot more potential..." - Eugene knocked on the door in panic.

"Helga! Sasquatch is coming this way! - Sasquatch was their art teacher. Helga gave him the name because his obvious hair-problems. He just couldn't close the door of the locker, she was too big for that, so she had to get out of it before the teacher got there and see what she's doing.

She was disappointed. It seemed like Bob actually stood up for her. But why? What's happening here? And how dare he enter to her territory like this?

She had the bad feeling, this is only the beginning. Bob must have found out a new way to annoy and torment her. He will turn her next days into a living hell.

She was damn right.

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As you may have noticed there was no Arnold himself in the story yet, not even seen him walking on the corridor. The reason for that is, Arnold will die a painful and horrible death, and Helga will get together with Eugene. :)

No, seriously, Arnoldo will come into the story a little later.

Please review! I have no self confidence! :)


	4. Prodigy

Prodigy

It was the ugliest office Bob ever seen in his life - and he saw many ugly offices since he lead his own company. The woman sitting behind the huge desk, deciding about the future of her students - behaving like she just escaped from some cheesy movie, like "Dangerous Minds". .

"A sophisticated teacher who can see the real faces of her students." But Bob knew the problem was, Miss Summers couldn't understand the complex personality of a comic book character, not to talk about real children. He was expecting, when will the teacher recommend a military career to Helga, the most sensitive, artistic person Bob ever knew.

"You're wrong Ms. Summers." - Bob said in an angry tone.

"Excuse me..." - the woman asked. It was unusual for a parent like Bob telling her she's wrong about a student, in her own office.

"It's mainly my fault, she behaves this way, but Helga has a lot more potential than you could imagine. If you ever took the energy to look behind her "Bully act"."

"Mr. Pataki..."

"She even fooled me. But that's not so surprising, I'm a simple businessman, but you are an educated pedagogue. I bought a school paper as I came in, there is an Anonymous poet writing in it regularly. Do you have any idea who is that?"

"Well, for you're information I'm pretty sure, the author of those fantastic poems is one of my head students, Lila Sawyer..."

"The cheerleader? I heard about her. She's just the kind of deep, meaningful person who's writing such popular poems and novels, and then she's hiding it was her." - Bob said as she stood up - "Sorry for you're time Ms. Summers, but I'm afraid you can't help me."

"Mr. Pataki, I don't know who do you think you are..."

"Me either Ms. Summers. Me either." - he said, as he left the office. He knew he probably pissed off the one person who can make Helga's life more miserable than it is already, but he couldn't help it. Maybe he will send a check to the school library, to settle this little incident.

He was just about leaving the school, when Helga stepped in his way.

"Hey Bob. I see you're busy." - she said. Bob hoped pretty much he won't meet Helga here. She took a long look on her daughter. While the other girls she saw walking on the corridors were almost ladies, Helga still looked like an angry little kid. She was beautiful of course - even in her baseball hat, and in her shirt, that was two sizes bigger that necessary. But not the way a girl her age should be.

"Helga.... Hello missy." - Bob said - "How you doing?"

"How "I" doing?" - Helga asked angrily. - "What are you thinking..." - Harold just ran to her, didn't let her finish.

"Helga, Mr. Boyle is looking for you all over the place. He says if you ditching class again..."

"I'm busy pink boy." - Helga said - "Nadine owes me, tell her to call Boyle to the phone right now trough the school radio. I'll be back in class when he returnes."

"Okay." - Harold said as he run away to find Nadine.

"What was that?"

"Listen Bob, this is my territory." - she said - "It's pretty hard to run this place, even without you're messing with me here.. Crimney, I thought we had a silent bargain - I don't disturb you at you're precious "Emporium" and you don't come here, unless you have to."

"I never said you can't visit me at the office..." - Bob said.

"No, you only said, "Leave me alone Olga, can't you see I'm busy?"- Helga answered.

"MR. BOYLE, PLEASE COME TO THE TEACHER'S PHONE, THERE IS AN URGENT CALL FROM YOU'RE FIANCÉ." - Nadine said trough the speakers suddenly.

"Wouldn't he suspect something, if there's nobody in the phone?"

"We're doing this to him on daily basis, convincing him, it's Wolfgang making prank calls, for being suspended. That guy has a lot to answer for too." - Helga said.

"You know, if you would try to be a little less Machiavellian, it would solve a lot of you're problems." - Bob said.

"Since when do you care about my problems." - she asked - "And most importantly, since when do you know who's Machiavelli? It was a question on The Wheel?"

"Listen Helga, you have every reason to think I'm a monster, or an idiot. But..."

"But what? Crimney Bob, leave a note for me on the fridge, I have to go to class..."

"Would you stop being such a pain in the ass?!" - Bob said angrily. It was the first time in his life he used such words with his daughter. He never cared enough, to be really angry with her - "Let me put it this way. This afternoon, you and I are going to spend some well needed quality time together, or I'll hang out here drinking coffee with you're teachers every afternoon!" - he said. Helga just stood there - her dad never behaved this... well, dad-like before. She hated the idea of a "Happy dad-doughtier afternoon" - the last one ended up in disaster. But for some reason, she didn't feel like opposing Bob - which was strange, because opposing Bob was like breathing for her.

"Okay." - she answered a little scared, and the she turned around, heading for class. Then she turned around. - "Where are we going?"

"Shopping. You're mother is not exactly in the condition to show you how a girl you're age should dress. Not to talk about other things." - he said. He never talked about Miriam's condition before - it was a number one rule in the family. And Bob wants to take her shopping? Mr. white-belt? How weird is that?

It came out Bob didn't only take her shopping, but to a really fancy place to make her hair and a beautician who took care of her skin.

"Crimney Bob, you really think I will let that strange woman touch my face?" - she asked. - "I don't need this stuff! You should have taken me a wrestling match or something, if you so wanted to be with me!"

"You're fourteen missy. This "rough little girl thing" was cute, when you were younger, but a girl you're age must care about how she looks. Trust me, he's gonna be all over you."

"Who?" - Helga asked as she raised her eyebrow.

"Boys. They're gonna be all over you." - Bob said.

"Whatever makes you happy." - Helga answered, as she sit into "The Chair".

Bob was right of course. Next day, they were all over her.

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Next: Enter Football-head

Bob has taken the first steps on his long journey in becoming a real father. Now Helga will have to make her steps, in becoming a woman, with the most unlikely guide.


	5. End of an era

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! When I wrote the first chapter I had no idea where I want to take this story. I only wrote it, because I couldn't sleep that night. Now I have a more-or less complete story in head. Without your support, I'm not sure this story would have ever made it to Chapter 2. But I'm so glad it did. :)

End of an era

"Please, don't let her see me. Please, don't let her see me..." - Arnold bagged as he entered the classroom. Of course he knew, she will see him. Then, the usual smartass comment, and the usual laughing of the class, and the usual humiliation. But for his biggest surprise, she wasn't in the class. In any other class, it wouldn't be strange - Helga was the master of ditching class. But not on math - on math, she sit next to Arnold - and she wouldn't miss a chance like this to torment him.

It wasn't always like this. There was a time when he and Helga was a lot closer to each other. A year after the FTI incident - when he learned how Helga really feels about him - they started dating. As much we can call a 11 year old couple going out watching some movies and smooching in secret of course. He loved Helga, he was able to see the real girl under her disguise, but still, he felt more and more uncomfortable in that relationship. She still behave the old way - and although he knew the whole thing is just an act, the other's didn't. And he only had a little boy's crush on Helga, but the girl was seriously in love with him - the adult way. And it was a little too much for him to handle. He wasn't ready yet for such a serious relationship. Maybe a few years later.

So he decided it's for the best to break up with Helga for a while.

It was the worst decision of his life. Her love turned into hate. Serious, powerful hate.

It wasn't so bad back in 5th grade - Helga was a strange, outsider bully. But in High School, she practically run the place. And if the Big Boss herself didn't like you, well... you had some serious problems to face.

There were three groups in the class. The populars - led by Rhonda, the smart ones - led by Phoebe and the geeks - well, not exactly led but... organized by Eugene. And - "accidentally" - all three leaders were friends of Helga. (For example Rhonda took the place from Lila when she she and Helga became friends.) So, it was really hard for Arnold to find his place. He was part of all three groups and still, he wasn't. If we don't count some of his close friends he was an outsider.

The way Helga seized the power over the class, maybe over the whole school was unbelievable. After they broke up, she started to make some new friends - always the right ones, to extend her influence.

It was ironic - partly, the reason of them breaking up was Helga's lack of people skills. Her unpopularity. So she fought those problems, only to get the necessary power, to make Arnold's life miserable.

Still she never went out with anybody. There was no boy, who had the courage or the will to ask her out. She wasn't really considered as a girl. She was just... Helga. A force of nature.

"Hey man." - Gerald said as Arnold sit down next to him.

"Hey Gerald." - Arnold said. - "Where's Helga?"

"What's wrong with you? You come in here, and Queen Bitch is the first thing on you're mind?" - Gerald asked. Of course Helga wasn't in the class, now Gerald dared to call her that. But of course he was nothing but nice to her. But still, he was still his best friend - even if it made his life among the populars pretty hard - Arnold had to give him the credit for that,

"I was just thinking. I didn't saw her on the bus either. Do you think she's sick?" - he asked hopefully. - "Tell me she's sick Gerald!"

"I'm afraid not buddy." - Gerald said, as he looked out on the window. - "Hid dad's SUV just parked down."

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"No... way..." - Helga said to his dad.

"You look wonderful." - Bob said.

"I look like a cheerleader." - Helga said. In her dictionary it meant pseudo-prostitute. She wore a skirt first time in years. It was pretty short - well not horribly, since Bob choose it - but it showed much from her great legs. And the pink top she wore looked pretty cool with her new short-hair style. - "I'm not going in there. These guys supposed to respect me."

"If you can't have both, you prefer if they fear you, than love you? Helga, that's a rule for middle aged, ugly men!" - Bob said. - "I can't believe you're happy without any boys in you're life."

"I had a boy in my life..." - Helga murmured.

"Yeah. You were eleven. Very serious experience really..." - Bob said - "Listen Helga... boys are different... in that age they're slightly interested in girls. They can show more attention to video games. But believe me, at six and seventeen..."

"Bob, you won, I'll go in. I don't want to be here when you get to the "Bees and flowers" part." - she said, as she turned around to go in.

"And one more thing Ol... Helga." - Bob said - "This weekend Miriam and Olga will go visit grandma, and I have a feeling I'll have to "work" all Saturday night. So if you thinking about throwing a party..." - Bob said. Helga raised her eyebrow.

"What's wrong with you?" - she asked - "Seriously? Are you going to die? Another middle life crisis? What?"

"Have fun Missy." - Bob said, as he turned on the engines, and started the car. Helga watched him driving away, then turned around and entered the school. She saw her reflection at the glass-door.

"Great. Hey boys and girls, here comes Barbie's little sister Slutty..." - she murmured, as she looked down at her hands - "Crimney, how a girl supposed to punch someone with these nails? Jeesh..."

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"...So, that's how the African Poisonous Bees, settled down in the oldest tree of Hillwood. On dark, gloomy nights, you can still hear their buzzing, as they're looking for enemies, in the name of the Hive... "

"Gerald, this is you're most retarded Urban Legend yet." - Arnold said.

"Even I think it was dumb." - Harold said, as she looked at the door - "Who's the new girl? She's kind of ho... oh my."

"Is that really... her?" - Gerald asked.

"Okay, guys, I'm officially freaking out here." - Arnold said in disbelief. Helga looked so beautiful, so nice so... well, normal.

Rhonda stood up and walked up to her, so did Phoebe.

"Helga, you look... different." - Phoebe said.

"Nice work four-eyes." - Rhonda said - "What happened to you bitch? You look like a real person."

"Th... thanks Rhonda." - Helga said. She was too confused to say anything.

"What? "Thanks Rhonda?" C'mon Helga! Where's the witty comeback?! Stop acting shy please, you creeping me out..."

"You look fabulous Helga." - Lila said.

"Ehm... thanks."

"Helga babe, that's one awsome hair you have there!" - Sid's shouted to her. Babe? Sid actually dared to call her babe? Brainy was lying unconsciously on the floor. Helga walking in looking like this - it was too much for him.

"You should dress like this more often." - Lila said - "I never knew you're so... well pretty. I guess you could even join the cheerleaders..."

"THAT'S IT!" - Helga said. Cheerleaders was the magic word right now. - "Maybe I look a little different, but I'm still me! So back off dorks!" - she screamed at them.

"Yesss, my bitch is back!" - Rhonda murmured in delight.

"So, I'm hot now. Then what?" - she asked. Calling herself hot would sound high and mighty from anyone else. But the way she said it - like something really not that important - was different. She looked over her classmates. They were all looking at the floor in shame.

"Why am I doing this?" - she asked herself - "They were so amazed... even Arnold. This is all I ever wanted..." - despite all the things she said, she really wanted to be "just a cute girl". Even if these people looked up to her, she wasn't one of them. And she longed to be one of them more than anything else.

"By the way, there's a party at my place on Saturday. All you losers are invited. It's gonna be fun. You better be there, or you answer to Old Betsy." - she said and sit down. Well, she _tried_ to be nice at least. But she must still work on that. She peaked at Arnold, who looked back on her questioning. She took a deep breath.

"I said all of you losers. That includes, you pretty much Football Head." - she said.

"Well... thanks... I guess." - Arnold said. They looked at each other for a moment. They did this sometimes - they just couldn't stop glaring at each other.

"Stop looking at me like that! This doesn't mean anything has changed between us." - Helga said angrily.

"I know, I just..." - he just could not take his eyes off her.

"Crimney! Get a freaking Penthouse, pervert." - Helga said. Rhonda giggled a little in cheer behind them. She just loved it when Helga was on fire. - "Or get a copy of Rhonda's yearbook photo. It's pretty much the same category." - she said. Everybody laughed who sat close enough to hear it. The teacher just entered, so Rhonda had no time to respond, so she was just sitting there smiling.

Helga took another peek at Arnold, and laughed happily on the inside. After all, her huge, primitive, father may get the right idea. She just couldn't wait for Saturday night. Things seemed to work out finally.

But of course, she was wrong about that. Things never work out that simple.

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Well, here it is, the first appearance The Man himself. :) I know there wasn't much Bob here, but don't worry, he's still the main character.

Next: Temptations - Where they're gonna PARTY!

So what do you think? Please review! Tell me, even if it sucks! :)


	6. I'll be there for you

Author's note: Thanks for the new reviews and recommendations. I'll look into them. .

"I'll be there for you"

Bob had a hell of a headache but still, couldn't stop playing Doom on the office computer. After all, it was Saturday night and he had to stay "working" in the office to not disturb Helga's party. If a month ago someone told him, he will stay here "hiding" so her youngest daughter can throw a party in their house, he would have lock the guy up in the nearest rehab center.

But the more time he spent with Helga - or at least thinking about her - it changed his point of view on a lot of things.

Till now, he thought Helga is the "problematic" member of the family. But now, Olga and Miriam seemed to be abnormal. Deep down he really enjoyed he don't have to be with them this weekend. He don't have to hear Olga's delightful, happy cheering here, which was cute when she was young, but now, years later it made her seem to be an idiot. He don't have to smell Miriam's liquor store odor here, that she couldn't make disappear, no matter how much perfume she used. Sitting in the dark office, hunting monsters in some ancient video game felt more sane then being home.

The door opened and Sabrina, Bob's secretary entered. She was Young and beautiful - but Bob applied her, because she reminded him to the young Miriam. The pre-whiskey Miriam.

"Bob... can I go home now?" - she asked.

"Yes, yes of course. Thanks for coming in on Saturday."

"Don't mention it boss. You look horrible, why don't you go home?" - she asked. Her voice was so tinkling, just like Miriam's used to be.

"I can't. My daughter is having a party, and I don't want to be the Big Bad Bob who ruins it."

"Oh, that's so sweet." - Sabrina said. - "So you're gonna sit here alone all night, so Helga can have some fun? That's the nicest thing you ever done."

"Well... yeah. Thanks."

"But why don't you go to a hotel?"- she asked. - "You're being nice but it doesn't mean you have to be a martyr."

"I don't like hotels. Bellboys are creeping me out." - he said. Sabrina laughed out loud in a sweet voice.

"Hey, you can sleep at my place. I have a pretty big couch, It's big enough even for you." - she said smiling. Bob thought about it for a moment.

"No thanks, I think this is a bit inappropriate." - he answered. He really needed the will power for to say that.

"Then I'll stay with you." - Sabrina said, as she sit down in front of Bob - "Can't let you here alone on Saturday night. It's the perfect middle-aged-business-man-suicide kind of situation." - she said,

"Thanks, but it's not necesarry..."

"So, you gonna kick me out of the building or what?" - she asked challenging.

"No..." - Bob answered.

"C'mon Bob, we're gonna have fun tonight too!" - she said.

"What do you have in mind?" - Bob asked. Sabrina leaned a little closer.

"We will think of something." - she said smiling. She wore the same cologne as Miriam, but there was no sign of that horrible whiskey smell anywhere. It was just like old times. A new, young, beautiful Miriam. The only escape from a horrible, empty life.

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It was the best party of the year. It was impossible to throw a party without inviting Helga (nobody was stupid enough to do that) but it was the first gathering at the Pataki house. There was a lawsuit coming of course because the late night breach of peace, but Helga so didn't care about it.

Arnold walked in with Lila of course - Helga thought it was another pathetic attempt to make Lila like like him.

"Don't worry Helga." - Phoebe said - "There's nothing going to be between them. And one day Arnold will notice what a wonderful person you really are."

"Thank you Pheebs." - Helga said.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" - Rhonda shouted. - "I can't believe it!"

"What?"

"This "one day Arnold will notice" crap!" - she said - "Helga I really can't understand you. You're the bitch who takes everything she wants without asking. You obviously want that guy. So why don't you go for him."

"You don't understand it. Arnold would never..."

"Are you kidding? That boy couldn't get a normal date since... well you. And a lot of years passed. He would even go out with a scarecrow." - she said - "And you're a little bit better than that." - that was a joke of course. Helga looked stunning tonight - so did most of the girls. It was simply that kind of night.

"But... he hates me."

"Let me tell you a little secret Helga. Boys in Arnold's age just can't hate hot blond girls. It's in their DNA." - Rhonda said - "So, here's the plan. You drink something, and then go over and get that boy. Got it?" - Helga nodded slowly. What Rhonda said actually made sense.

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"So... having a good time Football head?" - Helga asked. As she walked over to Arnold, who was looking trough the CD's of Bob.

"Yeah... I haven't been here since... well a long time. You're dad has some Dino Spumoni albums that you can't get anywhere anymore." - he said.

"Crimney Arnold. Would you stop being boring?" - Helga asked. - "You used to be the heart of the class, and now you're just... looking trough my father's CD collection alone!"

"Well, I guess they found a new heart for themselves lately." - Arnold murmured. He referred to Helga's new status, as the Big Boss.

"Oh, Evil Old Helga is mean to me. Boo-hoo. Stop being such a girl hair-boy." - she said. - "Go, dance, have some fun."

"There's no one I could dance with." - Arnold said.

"I'm sure you'll find someone." - Helga said, as she turned around and walked away.

"Helga! Don't you feel like... you know. Dancing?" - he asked.

"Whatever." - Helga sighted. - "If it makes you feel better..."

Seven minutes later they were making out like crazy on the dance floor, for everybody's big surprise. It wasn't planned, but someone put on U2s "With or without you", and it was something they couldn't fight.

"God, get a room!" - Sid said, as he bumped into them.

"This is my place Sid, I'll stand wherever I want!" - Helga said.

"Actually he's got a point." - Arnold said.

"Wanna go somewhere more private to... you know, talk some more?" - Helga asked. Arnold nodded with a shy smile.

As they went upstairs, Helga was extremely thankful to his father. After all every stupid thing he suggested work. And now here she was with Arnold again. It was unbelievable. She felt life won't be so horrible from now. Family life won't be so painful if Bob stays the way he is. School life will be better too, she finally have Arnold. Maybe she will be able to keep her sanity till her twenties.

For some reason, Phoebe and Gerald locked themselves in to Helga's room, so they had to go to the room of Bob and Miriam.

"So what do you think. Will you handle my books for me in school?" - Helga asked.

"I guess." - Arnold said, as he kissed her again passionately.

"Arnold, I missed you so much..." - Helga said, as they continued kissing. They were really loosing control - " I... I guess I never stopped loving you..." - but then Arnold stood up in shock.

"Oh my god..." - he murmured in disbelief. As he run to the one of the pictures on the wall. - "Who are these people?" - he asked. Helga's world just fell apart to pieces. She just confessed her most personal secret to Arnold, and he's... behaving like this.

"Don't try to change the subject hair boy!" - she said angrily. - "That's an old picture of Bob and Miriam and some of their old friends..."

"Sorry Helga I gotta go! We will talk tomorrow I promise!" - he said and with that, he run out of the room. Helga left there alone in their parents room. She knew she will cry, here and now, when everybody from school is in the house. Her life was officially over. She looked on the picture. Trough her tears she noticed the lady on the picture is having a weird football head just like Arnold.

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Bob woke up just to notice his back hurts like hell. Sleeping in the car is not the best after an age. According to the sound the party was still on in the house - he was thinking about sneaking in to his room unnoticed, but he made a promise to Helga.

He noticed a shadowy figure standing in the rain, leaning her back to the wall. It was Helga. What's wrong with that girl again, being out here in a weather like this. He got out of the car.

"Ol.. Helga! What are you doing here! You'll get cold."

"Hey Bob. I just needed a little fresh air. You?"

"Sorry, I had to come home. If I stayed at the office... well I was just about to do something stupid. But don't worry, I'll wait in the car till the party is over." - Helga cried some minutes before, it was obvious. - "What happened?"- he asked. Helga looked at him, trying to talk, but she just couldn't say a word. Bob slowly put her hands around her daughter, not knowing she will accept the gesture or not. Suddenly Helga hugged her father in tears.

"I'm so sorry..." - Bob said - "But everythings gonna be okay. I promise." - he said. Helga hugged him even stronger. At last, after all these years she found someone she can hold into. Just like Bob. The rain became heavier every moment - "C'mon Helga got into the car." - he said, as he opened the door for her.

They stayed there till the morning came. Rhonda took over the party in the house - Helga counted on her in that. They watched how the happy pairs and friends leaving the house.

"Sorry. I really thought I can help you to be happy. You... you deserve that boy. Even better." - Bob said.

"Thanks Bob... dad." - she said. Yes it happened. She called him dad, and not in some annoying, witty comment. This time she meant it. - "You know I was thinking. Maybe you're not here to solve my problems." - she said.

"No?"

"No. Maybe You're here... just to be here. Like now. I guess that's all I ever needed." - she said, as she leaned her head on Bob's shoulder. A huge weight was gone from Bob's heart. It was everything he needed to hear. He needed Helga more right now, that she needed him. He needed a purpose to his life. An anchor to this life. And he found it. This is why he wakes up every morning. He's not the CEO of the Cell phone Emporium in the first place anymore. He's a father.

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Next: Runaways

There was great temptation to continue with the next two sentences, where Bob will ruin everything he did until now. But I wanted a nice ending, so I will have to wait with the "bad news" till the next chapter.

Not to talk about Arnold's confrontation with his grandfather, about some little white lies he told him for years.

Please review! I know you want to!


	7. Little white lies

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews. It's so cool to get so many!

Jesus Freak: Thanks, for the advice. I don't really know the rating system. We don't have it over here (at least not in such a serious form), and doing pretty fine without it. (There are no school shootings over here.) But I changed it to PG-13, just for you.

So, here it goes!

I'll continue right where I've finished the last chapter. The second, less comfortable part of the conversation. Things are going to get pretty messy.

**Little white lies**

"Sorry. I really thought I can help you to be happy. You... you deserve that boy. Even better." - Bob said.

"Thanks Bob... dad." - she said. Yes it happened. She called him dad, and not in some annoying, witty comment. This time she meant it. - "You know I was thinking. Maybe you're not here to solve my problems." - she said.

"No?"

"No. Maybe You're here... just to be here. Like now. I guess that's all I ever needed." - she said, as she leaned her head on Bob's shoulder. A huge weight was gone from Bob's heart. It was everything he needed to hear. He needed Helga more right now, that she needed him. He needed a purpose to his life. An anchor to this life.

A few hours ago, his shirt was buttoned out by the sexiest young woman he met in these years. He almost did it. He almost find a wrong way to escape from this empty life - just like other members of the family. Miriam to whiskey-land, Olga to her happy cheerleader attitude and Helga to her weird Arnold religion.

But at last, he found a reason to wake up every morning. He's not the CEO of the Cell phone Emporium in the first place anymore. He's a father.

He heard how Helga's breathing changed. She's calming down. Maybe she will fell asleep right now.

He looked at her daughter. She never seemed so peaceful before. She could have knew it better. He was the only one who could give peace to the girl - not some boy she's having a crush on. He was the real problem all along.

"See... I'm not such a monster after all. You don't need some football headed knight to save you from the tower." - Bob whispered to the girl. Suddenly, Helga opened her eyes, raise her head and looked into Bob's eyes. The man was surprised - those deep, meaningful blue eyes - it wasn't comparable to Miriam's or Olga's. Like there was a whole universe trapped behind them.

"You've read my diary, didn't you Bob?" - she asked his father in a dead cold voice. It wasn't something he expected to come up tonight. But of course. Helga the prisoner of the castle, Bob the guardian Dragon, and Arnold, the knight in shiny armor. It was an analogy from one of Helga's poems. He just didn't think it trough when he said it.

"It's not what you think... It was an accident."

"So you _accidentally_ read my diary? How can you accidentally read something?"

"I... I..."

"You know, that's something that usually would not surprise me! But the fact that for a simple moment I wasn't perfectly alone in this word... That I felt you care about my feeling at least a little bit..."

"But I do Helga! Listen to me..!" - he said but Helga opened the door of the car.

"Listen Bob, I know what you want to hear! You're a great father! You were so nice in the passed three days that it completely made me forget about the last 17 years!" - she said as she shut the door from the outside. Bob got out of the car too, just to saw her daughter is crying again.

"Olga wait! I mean Hegla...!" - he shouted. Helga started to laugh, while she was still crying. Seeing her in the rain like this - the image burned itself to Bob's mind forever.

"It's Helga dad!" - she said laughing - "Of course. Just when I thought I may belong here. That I have the slightest chance for happiness here. I just can't have a single happy day, can I!" - she said, as she turned around and walked into the house. Bob caught something in her eyes - something he haven't seen in a long time. Since he looked into the mirror in the train station in a small European country many decades ago.

Deep down he felt he won't see Helga for a very long time.

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The flash of lightning made the boardinghouse look really sinister for the boy who lived here. Arnold was fed up with his past hunting him in the most unexpected places. It was the most wonderful night of his life. Like the passed years just vanished in a second. And then, there was that picture on the wall. That picture he had seen a thousand times... and still he never saw it before.

"Hey Short-man, what happened? She throw you out?" - Grandpa asked him. He was awake of course - it was the time for his midnight snack. It was the only time when he could find some quiet and peace in this madhouse.

"No." - he said, and took off a picture from the wall. He's mother and father was greeting him from beyond the grave. A part of him really hated this picture - hunting him trough all these years. But he couldn't quite tell why. Not until now.

"I never knew what's bothering with this picture, Grandpa. Not until now. Who's hand is it on Dad's shoulder?" - Arnold asked. Grandpa looked on the picture.

"Oh, that's just... Robin Williams. - he said - You know, I cut him off the picture after I saw Dead Poets Society. Eh eh eh... You had a pretty bad party short-man, why don't you go to bed?"

"Who is that guy Grandpa? For real? And why did you cut him off the picture?" - he asked.

"I don't know. But he looked creepy. I didn't want him on such a fine picture of you're parents." - he said, but he didn't look into Arnold's eyes.

"Are you sure it's not one of his friends we know?"

"I told you short-man, Miles didn't have friends in Hillwood. He traveled too much... and..."

"Stop it! Just stop it already!" - Arnold said angrily.

"What's wrong with you Arnold, I never saw you like this before!"

"I saw this picture! The whole picture! It's in the bedroom of Big Bob Pataki and his wife! They're the ones you cut off. And I want to know, why. And why did you lie to me constantly in the last seventeen years!" - he asked. He never used a tone even similar to this when he talked to his grandparents before.

But he was a teen. And he did exactly what a teen supposed to do: finding out he's been living in a lie, and rebel against his parents.

Phil took a deep breath and sit down. He was an old man, and part of Arnold felt really sorry for him. A man at his age is not supposed to deal with these things. But his anger was stronger.

"Oh, Arnold. I so didn't want this..." - he said - "Well, I guess you already found out you're father and Bob were... friends."

"Friends?"

"Well... best of friends you know. Like you and Gerald. Like me and that old fart Jimmy Kafka. I just... really hate that guy. Always did."

"So whenever I wanted to meet someone who knew my parents... Every time you said there's nobody... My father's best friend was living in our block?"

"Yes." - Phil said in guilt - "You're parents and the Patakis were inseparable. Bob was you're father's best man and... they joked a lot about you and that little brat with a unibrow shall be married someday..."

"Maybe we shall." - Arnold said, as he stood up - "I can understand you don't like Mr. Pataki. He's a difficult person. But I think the main reason you wanted to keep me from this knowledge, is because you didn't wanted me to find out that most things you said about my parents is simply the product of you're fantasy." - he said. Phil just looked on his shoes in silence.

"I'm sorry Grandpa, I'm sure you only wanted the best for me. Maybe even you believed those stories on some level. But you have to understand, you are the only source for me, to get to know my parents. You always been. And now I have to find out, I can't trust anything you told me anymore." - he said, as he turned around to go to his room.

"I just have to be alone for a while." - he said, and he found himself disgusted from the place, from the old man smell from all over the furniture, from the stinking pets his crazy grandmother took home. It was one of the rare occasions when he felt the fact with it's whole weight: he's an orphan, and he has nothing more than a pair of crazy old people he can call family. Roots.

"There's something you have to know short man." - Phil said. Arnold slowly turned around. He expected some typical "Forgive me, We love you, Forget the whole thing" kind of speech.

"You're parents could be still alive if they listened to Bob Pataki instead of an old fool like me." - he said. His face was like a rock, but his voice was shaking. Arnold wanted to run to him, hug him and tell him everything going to be alright.

But no. Not this time. - he thought. He loved Phil with all his heart - but right now, he simply couldn't stay in that house.

There are only a few people, who can tell what was the exact moment, when they grew up. For most boys it is a long journey, to become a man. But Arnold knew - right in that moment, when he stood on the stairs, and looked back on his grandfather, the man who raise him. How the lightning made all the shadows look long and alive, like they're ready to swallow the whole boardinghouse including the vulnerable old man shaking at the table.

With his head he knew Phil can be wrong, since he was 9. But he only now understood it with his heart.

Everything he heard, thought could be wrong. That's why the world never really made sense for him. That's why he always felt he's the one who have to help or save anybody. He's been living in a fairytale, where his parents were superheroes "missing in action."

Big Bob. From all people, the most selfish man on the face of the world is the one who could have saved his parents lives? And Grandpa, the most caring, gentle person in his life is the one who caused their deaths?

It was horrible to think of. World was so much more complicated than a few hours ago. Even such a simple feeling, like loving his Grandpa was a lot more messed up than ever before.

"Goodnight Grandpa. Sorry, I have to think this trough." - he said. The child Arnold would have run to his old man, hug him and cheer him up. But he didn't. He let the old man at the table, thinking about what he have done.

A minute later Arnold regretted that decision and went downstairs, but Phil went back to sleep at the bedroom by then. They missed the chance of making up. Maybe it was for the better - Arnold wasn't really ready to forgive, he just felt sorry for the old man.

Arnold himself couldn't sleep of course. He just wanted to get out of this place as fast as he could. He was thinking about calling Gerald, but he wasn't really sophisticated person. He just couldn't talk about such serious problems with him. He knew who's the only one who could understand him. So he dialed the number he so really dared to call.

"What?" - a violent voice answered. It was Helga's usual way to picking up the phone.

"Hey, Helga it's me Arnold."

"Listen Football head, maybe it's not the worst day of my life, but it's definitely in the Top 3. So if it's gonna be some lame apology, you better save it..." - Arnold was able to sense the sadness beyond the anger. She was crying. He never heard her crying.

"Helga, just listen to me! Please!" - he said, and he recognized he's on the edge of crying himself. He knew he was shocked by the events of this night, but didn't know this much. Helga noticed that too.

"Every thing's alright?"

"No." - he said - "Nothing is alright. And I'm not sure it's ever will."

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It was like a Sunday morning in hell. Olga and Miriam arrived home to a pretty huge mess in the house. Rhonda and some of her friends stayed longer to clean up the house after the party, but they just couldn't do the whole work. Helga locked herself into her room, listening to some pretty violent rock music in an intolerable volume.

So, when Bob wake up, he found Miriam sleeping at the table again, handling her secret lover Jim Beam, and Olga cooking while singing a happy little song. Of course he was cooking in the middle of the mess, that they called kitchen after the party - but the strange layers in her head, didn't allow her to notice uncomfortable things. Cleaning up didn't even cross her mind, because she felt more like cooking - which was pretty unnecessary, since the fridge was filled with food.

Hearing Helga's music was just the last thing. He saw his family - his once beautiful family for what it was for real. And it was some horrible picture. Helga was only the top of the iceberg. It was the reason for everything - why he escaped to his work. He just wanted to deny the horrible reality of this dysfunctional family. He grabbed yesterdays newspaper, and opened it at the ads.

He knew it is time to behave like the head of the family. What Helga told to him yesterday - he didn't wanted to be the "Father of the Week." Plus he almost did the worst thing - almost cheated on Miriam yesterday. He was even thinking about running away with the sexy little thing, leaving his family behind. It showed him how desperate his situation really is.

He grabbed Miriam's bottle, and filled a glass with whiskey.

"Hey honey, what are you doing?" - Miriam asked in her sleepy voice.

"Drink it." - he said with a cold commanding voice.

"What?"

"Drink it. This is the last tiff of alcohol in you're life, so try to enjoy it." - he said. Miriam just looked at him not understanding what's happening.

"You're cheating on me Miriam. Me, and you're family, with a bottle of whiskey. You did it day after day. Until now." - he said, as he handled her the paper - "And that's because you have way to much free time. Tomorrow you will get a job. I don't care if it's volunteer work - we have enough money. You can help other people instead of poisoning yourself and your family with this shit."

"But..."

"No buts Miriam. Not anymore." - he said. - "We will do whatever it takes. I will pay the shrink, you can go to antonyms groups, whatever. But I don't think you need it. - he said, as he grabbed the bottle, and let rest of the whiskey into the sink - "The main reason you're drinking, is that you're bored." - Miriam just stood there looked at him. Actually, she's been waiting to hear these words for years. To the return of her husband - the man he married.

"Okay." - she said. There was no other answer.

"What's wrong daddy..." - Olga started, but Bob stopped her from finishing.

"Stop right there missy!" - Bob said. He never called Olga missy before. - "I have some words to you too."

"What?"

"Why are you still living with us? Why did you move back here after collage in the first place?" - he asked.

"I just..."

"I know it's comfortable. But you can't hide here from the real world anymore. You've got addicted to our support. You need to hear how much we love you every day, and God knows I do love you Olga, but you must move out." - he said - "So I recommend you to look for a new apartment, right now." - it was horrible, kicking out her own daughter from the house. But it was needed to be done. He turned around to go upstairs, and tell Helga, to turn off the music, it's Sunday morning after all. Maybe he can talk to her about what happened last night too.

He knocked on the door three times, but there was no answer, so he entered.

Helga was gone, just like most of her stuff. There was no doubt - Helga left without even leaving a note. Yesterday - getting a ray of hope and then loosing it - was too much for her.

Bob prepared himself for this moment for years, but of course he wasn't ready. Helga wasn't like other teenagers. If she ran away, she meant it, she wont come back to apologize a few days later. She was just like Bob.

He closed the door. A father without child. That's what he was. And he knew, it's no matter what happened in his life yesterday, or what's going to happen tomorrow - he will find her daughter and take her back home. Suddenly all the priorities changed. Getting Helga back, became so elemental for him, like breathing or eating. He will get her back, even if it takes a lifetime. Even if he have to search trough every corner of every city of the world.

She's going to get grounded forever.

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Bob's quest to find her daughter has begun. But what role Arnold will play in the "search for Helga"? Find out in the next chapter! (God, I start to sound like the lame narrator of the old Batman TV-show :)).

So what do you think? Please review! Tell me right into my face, even if it sucks!


	8. Papers

Author's note: This is just a short chapter, just to move the story forward a bit before the real "runaways" arc begins. It's something I wanted to reveal later, but I realized I must do it here, if I want Arnold's actions to make some sense.

Jae: They never aired the Journal here, (just they didn't Married, and that really pisses me off). But I know it's story. "All a lie" is about, he can't trust anything he heard from his grandpa anymore. I hope this fast-read chapter will make it a little more clear.

Princess Amanda: I understand if you have a lame computer. Well, you can still promote the existence of the story, to attract other reviewers :)

Just papers

"Dear Grandpa.

This is the hardest letter of my life. It's not like I wrote too many letters with my hands, but you don't have an e-mail address.

You must know I love both of you, with all my heart. No boy could ask for better parents for himself then the two of you.

Still, I have to get out of here. After this night I can't stay here anymore. Not for a while. I know what you did, Grandpa. I know what you really did. And even if you did it from love, and god knows I glad you did it, it's still a bad thing.

Yesterday night, after our "conversation" I wanted to go out and talk to someone, because she was planning to do something stupid. I went into you're bedroom, to see if you're okay. Then I saw that piece of paper in you're hand. You probably read it before sleep, after our fight about my parents and the Patakis. The document, you so desperately tried to hide from me in all my life, and why you hate Big Bob so much. Maybe I should apologize for peaking into such a serious secret. But I won't. I had the right to know. I can't believe you tried to keep this from me!

I understand you were hurt, for Dad not trusting you with raising me. Thinking you were too old for this kind of responsibility, if anything happens to me. He never imagined he has so little time left.

You didn't wanted to loose me. I'm sure I would have done the same thing too. But you should have told me Grandpa! You should have told me years ago! You seeing me, trying to find out everything about my parents and still you kept me in the dark... what were you thinking, I'll go to the police?

"My grandpa buried my parent's will, and he's keeping me in the highest tower of the castle!"?

I really need to think this trough. And someone needs my help. Or maybe I need hers. I'm not really sure of anything right now.

Don't worry, I'll be fine. I have some money saved from my summer work, and she has some too. As for school, I'm sure we will find some solution, both of us are having pretty good grades.

I can't tell you where are we going, but I will call you soon, I promise.

Please don't tell grandma. If she asks, tell her I'm in summer camp. I'm sure he won't notice it's October.

Please, don't try to find me.

I love you grandpa.

Arnold."

Phil noticed his legs are shaking, as he read Arnold's letter.

It's over. He knows. It meant his life is over - it was almost liberating. He read the will, and he knew Miles never wanted Phil and Pookie to be Arnold's caretaker.

Arnold was supposed to be risen by the Patakis. And Phil could go to jail, for not showing the document he was trusted with, to anybody.

He sit down to Arnold's untouched bed.

It didn't matter now. Arnold was gone. Just like Miles. He wanted to say it's because of Big Bob, but he didn't wanted to lie to himself too. It was all his fault.

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	9. Missing

Hey, It's been a while :) 

I just had a serious writer's block, and had a lot of problems on my own. Now I'm trying to „get my groove back" – writing wise. But thanks for all the submitted reviews while  
I was away (for other stories too, it really helped me coming back)

Missing

In the first two schooldays since Arnold and Helga absence, the face of the school went trough radical changes. The school board had no idea of what changed – but there was a huge line before the principals office all the time. The pranks were out of control. The bullies – Wolfgang and his gang – behave like savages, attacking every student smaller than them – and that included almost everybody. It was almost impossible to teach, the kids barely payed any attention at class. The teachers couldn't came up with an explanation of the sudden change of behavior. But the kids knew exactly what changed.

Their leader was gone. As their conscience. There was no one who could show them what to do by force (Helga) or by reasoning (Arnold).

„I heard they left the states, and they're searching for Arnold's parents in middle America." – Gerald said to group of kids, listening to him.

„That's just plain stupid." – Rhonda said – „How on earth could they do that without their passport Einstein? And where did you hear that?" „Well I... thought that's what they would do." – he answered.

„Hey, you're making up all your legends?" – Sid asked.

„Sort of. Hey, what did you think? There is actually a giant, invisible blimp, patrolling over Hillwood all night and day?" „Hey, I'm the only who's seeing it?" – Curly asked. No one listened to him, as usual.

„Guys... what if they're never coming back?" – Stinky asked seriously. – „I mean going down the hallway is like an extreme sport now. Bullies are attacking everybody, 3rd graders throwing stink bombs, and Eugene is singing songs. I can't take it anymore."

„Hello power vacuum!" – Curly said, rubbing his hands together with an evil smile on his face. „Bwahahahahahahaha!"

„Shut up Curly." – Sid murmured.

„I'm sure they will be back soon." – Phoebe said. – „They wouldn't leave Hillwood forever..."

„Open your four eyes dork-queen!" – Rhonda said. – „They already left, their parents, their families. They won't came back for us... or You!" – Phoebe didn't answer. He felt too hurt.

„Soon, you will all know the true meaning of pain and terror, once I take over Helga's place! You're all gonna pay... PAY WITH SWEET BLOOD AND TEARS!"

„SHUT UP CURLY!" – they all said in perfect agreement.

After classes, all the kids tried to get as far from the school as possible. In two days from the Silent Prison of Boredom it became the Chaotic House of True Evil. Phoebe was surprised to see, princess Lloyd is not in his car yet, but leaning to it, apparently waiting for her.

„Hey Dork Queen, want a ride?"

„Leave me alone Rhonda." – she answered. Rhonda Lloyd was the last person she wanted to talk right now.

„C'mon Pheebs. You don't like me, and I don't like you... but we need each other's help..."

„What are you talking about?"

„This..." – he said, handling over a paper for Phoebe.

„The New York Post?"

„Read the second article on the local news?"

„Mystery girl injures three adults." – Phoebe read – „So, some teenage blond girl kicks the asses of three muggers in the Bronx, and you already think it's Helga?"

„No, I think Buffy the Vampire Slayer is working in Bronx lately, and you must see the article! Jeesh, Dork Queen, of course it is Helga."

„But what are they doing in New York?" – Phoebe asked

„Erm... Running away maybe?" – Rhonda said, like she was talking to an idiot – „I asked my dad to call his connection to the police. One of the guys told the „mystery girl" referred to herself as „Old Betsy". I think she didn't refer to herself exactly, but that crook had problems listening, while she was beaten up by a seventeen year old girl." „So what? Tell Mr. Pataki, or the police..."

„No. Like it or not, we are Helga's best friends. We have to take her back. I want you to take this week out. We go there and talk some sense into those empty heads. I'm sure your grades are good enough already, for this little break." „I don't know..."

„C'mon Dork Queen!" – Rhonda said – „Get into the car, we're going to your place for your stuff and we're on our way." Phoebe just stood there now knowing what to do.

„Eh, what the hell!" – she said as she entered the car.

„That's the spirit Dork Queen!" – Rhonda said.

„One thing Rhonda." –Phoebe said – „If you ever call me „Dork Queen" again, I'll eat of your pretty face from your frickin' skull."

There was dead silence in the car. Rhonda couldn't believe what she heard – such words coming out of the mouth of the sweet, little, harmless Phoebe.

„Wha..."

„You heard me. " – Phoebe said. As the moment of shock passed, Rhonda answered with a move of her shoulder.

„Fair enough." – she said as she started the engine. – „Hey Phoebe... Under this mild mannered nerd appearance you are a sick-sick little girl, aren't you?" – she asked. Phoebe looked at her with a little smile in the corner of her mouth.

„You have no idea." – Phoebe answered. She wondered, how can they help Helga, if they will probably kill each other after the first four miles.

NEXT: Teenage Wasteland  
What happened to Arnold and Helga  
+  
Bob begins his own journey for her daughter


End file.
